Cars

Friday, July 05, 2013

The Sag Harbor Scouts Soap Box Derby was the event this 4th of July week and thousands of pictures and probably hours of video were shot by professional and amateur photographers alike. In our house, my husband is the videographer and he compiled the video attached below from three different cameras.

Two GoPros, attached either to the helmut of Andy Schaefer and the running board of his car, or attached to Charlie Schaefer's horn, showed the teeth-rattling perspective of the drivers, and a regular video camera filled in with the spectators' perspectives.

Peter spent most of his time at the starting ramp which also shows how much hard work and organization went into pulling this competition off. Three cheers to Jim Stewart for keeping things running like a clock and to Laurie Barone-Schaefer for organizing it all! Enjoy the video!

Monday, January 09, 2012

It's official, Open-Window is now two years old. I can hardly believe I began this blog on a cold January day, sitting at the island in my kitchen, 730 days ago. In the past two years, Open-Window has focused my days on creating stories, snippits, and photographs that I hoped you would find entertaining, sometimes informative, and maybe even amusing. We've covered a lot of ground and many diverse topics over this time ranging from Hawaii to Paris, Hamburger Relish to Caviar, Horse Racing to Airshow Acrobatics. As time has passed, we increasingly focused on the images and slide shows that would accompany a post, and have worked diligently to improve the quality of all that we delivered. Peter has continued to emphasize wide-angle HDR (high dynamic range) photography whether on his DSLR (digital single lens reflex-camera) or his, ever-handy, iPhone, and I have continued with my love of all-things-macro, although we each dabbled in the other's specialty just to keep it interesting.

Over the past twenty four months, we've made 388 postings to Open-Window which is an average of almost 4 per week, nearly every one containing at least one photograph and 60 of which included a slide show with music. When we embarked on this endeavor, we expected to focus on travel, food and photography. As it's turned out, the focus has been just that ... but in reverse - photography, food and travel. See, we'll photograph nearly anything - food that we eat, games that we play, children at the beach, machines of any sort, flowers and their residents, landmarks and landscapes, moon-rises and sunsets, and even light itself.

This year has been quite a journey photographically as well as geographically. Peter and I traveled over 14, 500 miles. We drove the entire east coast from the east end of Long Island to Orlando, Florida, traversing Florida, and turning north to reach Memphis Tennessee. We crossed the states of Tennessee and North Carolina end-to-end (west to east), photographing some of this country's most beautiful scenery in the Great Smoky Mountains. When we reached the Atlantic Ocean, it felt like we'd returned home, for tidal waters are in our veins, and the days on the Outer Banks are now cherished memories. Early morning sunrises over the ocean, wild horses on the beaches, hang gliding from the dunes, and fish tacos are just a few of the things we captured in-frame. With tornadoes nipping at our heels from western Florida, to Memphis and eventually to eastern North Carolina, we headed home just hours before their destruction hit the locales we'd come to know and love. Atlantic City was our refuge from the storms, before returning to the calm, untouched East End.

Thirty days and thirty nights, and 4,000 miles on the road gave us a tremendous, renewed appreciation for the beauty and diversity of this country we live in. A couple of hundred more miles were covered seeking out horses at Saratoga Springs in August. For one who isn't known as an animal lover, I do love photographing them. Whether in their stance or stride, they speak volumes to me and hopefully that is being captured by the lens. Finally, the balance of those miles (nearly 10,000) were accomplished by a trip to The Big Island of Hawaii, where we were able to photograph the incredible diversity of this island's landscape and all of its beauty from a helicopter.

More locally, we visited Belmont Park just a week before the Stakes were run and attended the Hampton Classic Horse Show every single day it was held over Labor Day weekend. There were at least three Antique Auto Shows, one Road Rallye and a Mini Cooper Scavenger Hunt that we shot as well. Our beaches on the east end of Long Island are some of the most breathtaking in the country (right up there with North Carolina's) and we spent many happy hours either hip deep in snow in January or ankle deep in sand in August, capturing the undulating shapes of their dunes draped in snow or the power of their seas after a storm.

The holidays that dot our calendars were also not ignored. Memorial Day is always an homage to the "Opening" of the Hamptons season. Flag Day, the 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the Christmas season were all duly noted and celebrated with photographs too.

Meaty Tomato painted by Barbara Andolsek

Let me also add, ever so humbly, that I have once again been thrilled that Barbara Andolsek continues to make paintings based on some of my photographs. Barbara and I have yet to meet but feel a friendship beyond pen-pals. Nearly 3,000 miles apart but with a shared appreciation for the beauty of the world around us, Barbara and I have forged a friendship that could only occur in this wonderful 21st century. It still astounds me at how incredibly open and selfless so many people are using the internet to connect, communicate, and share. I feel incredibly fortunate to be able to be a part of it.

The word "blog" is derived from the expression "web log", which originally was an online journal of sorts and has morphed, over time, into a platform for communicating and exchanging information and ideas. I want to thank you all for your enthusiasm and support over the last two years but more importantly for your participation - "communication and exchange" are exactly what has occurred when you've left comments for us, and you've made it just that much more fun and interesting.

So here is a slide show which represents a snapshot of Open-Window's second year. It's shorter than last year's and yet still longer than most at just under 10 minutes. Perhaps you can set aside a little time next Sunday morning. We've made this for you, to enjoy and remember a year that we shared, and for that I want to say with great sincerity "Thanks for the memories".

Sunday, October 16, 2011

I adore antique hood ornaments. I think they are truly works of art, created in a time when care was taken in the design of every aspect of an automobile. Most of my favorites are from the 1930s and they come in all forms - a winged lady, airplanes, birds of many varieties, a lion's head, bullets, ships, rams, even indian heads. They represented strength, endurance, and/or speed and proudly graced the hoods of Packards, Cadillacs, Plymouths, Franklins, Chevrolets and even the trusty old Dodge.

Friday, September 23, 2011

Last Sunday, the Mini Cooper Club held a scavenger hunt in the Hamptons called MINIs Hunt the Hamptons. A friend told me about the event and said that she and her mother were going to participate and she encouraged us to come see what it was all about. So at 9:00 a.m. we were in the parking lot at Duck Walk Vineyards in Southampton watching a parade of Mini Coopers assemble to collect their maps and instructions for the day. We chatted with the event's organizers and they said we could join in if wanted to since there had been a few last minute cancellations. So we did!

The packet we received had a map of Long Island, a list of 14 items to be collected and a list of 21 questions to be answered by traveling the specific route outlined in detail in the materials. We had really come to photograph the event but now figured we could get some great shots if we got ahead of the pack and shot them arriving at a Town Landing, or turning a corner near the country club. This video/slide show highlights the day and underscores the enthusiasm of the Mini participants. The route took us from Southampton, through East Hampton, deep in to the woods of Amagansett, and back - on some roads that Peter hadn't traveled in 30 years. We think we got some fun shots and hope you agree.

Photos and Video by Claudia Ward & Peter TookerSlide Show compiled by Peter TookerMusic: Notice Me by a local girl, Alexa Ray Joel

If you too are a Mini enthusiast, I'm sure you know the movie The Italian Job which was originally made in 1969 featuring Michael Caine and Noel Coward, and was remade in 2003 featuring Donald Sutherland, Mark Wahlberg, and Ed Norton, but in both movies the stars are the Mini Coopers. Peter's video clips of the parade of Minis rounding the corner near the Maidstone Club certainly bring this movie to mind.

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Vintage cars in pristine condition parked amongst huge shade trees on a sunny summer day, that was the setting for the 5th annual Southampton Antique Auto Show held on the grounds of Rogers Mansion in Southampton, NY. This is the second year that Peter and I have attended this event and, to be honest, we didn't expect to see much that was different from last year, but we were pleasantly surprised. Of all the vehicles there, and there were between 25 and 30, we only recognized a hand full, a classic 1931 Ford Model A Sport Coupe with etched "no draft" windows, a sexy black 1953 Jaguar XK120 with red leather upholstery, a sky blue Chevy pickup truck with a custom cover, and a beautiful 1956 peacock blue Thunderbird convertible were among them.

The cars and trucks in the show spanned several decades - the '30's, '40's, '50's, and 60's to be exact - and we had a favorite in each. A 1934 Ford Model 40, 5 window coupe with a rumble seat and gorgeous light tan interior captured our attention straight away and we spent nearly an hour photographing it from every angle. The 1940 Ford Business Coupe with its bright yellow and orange flame-job and Mooneyes was eye catching to say the least; and, the 1951 Mercury Sport Coupe stood out with its shiny black and chrome engine, the red pin striping, the levered dash board, and of course, it's fuzzy dice. The 1965 red convertible Mustang just brought back memories!

One other vehicle stood out as special and deserving of special mention here and that was a very sweet 1931 viper-red Ford Roadster Pickup Convertible that just happens to be owned by a woman we met last year. Last year she showed an incredible satin yellow Kaiser Darrin with pocket doors from 1954. I can honestly say, I'm not sure which is my favorite, they are both unique unto themselves and truly classy classics. We can't wait to see what she brings next year.

So here is my slideshow from this year's antique auto show, I hope you find it as interesting and captivating as I did. Peter's compiling his as I write ... so please stay tuned.

Monday, August 22, 2011

Saturday was the annual Southampton Antique Auto Show at Rogers Mansion and once again we had a wonderful time. Vintage cars in pristine condition, divine weather, and friendly people ... does it get any better than that in the Hamptons in the summer.

Sunday, June 26, 2011

As many of you know, I love my morning walks and Sundays are especially nice in the summer because they're relatively quiet. We're so fortunate to live in such a beautiful area which is enhanced by a large entertainment factor once the season is upon us. Flowers abound, hedgerows bloom, and shop windows may be decorated with everything from mannequins doing hand stands to jubilant penguins named Jeremiah, Shane, and Oscar - anything to catch your eye. Our small community has several churches, charming cottages and grand mansions, and lovely wide roads to drive on whether its in the family Ford or a sporty convertible antique Bugatti. Antique and Art Fairs put up tents and take over the grounds of the Historical Society across the street from our house, and nearly every house has deck chairs beckoning its residents to relax with the New York Times or to take a Sunday afternoon nap. Enjoy.

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

"Jupiter is at opposition", at least it was last week. That means Jupiter is directly opposite the Sun in the sky and Earth is in between. It also means that Jupiter is as close to Earth as it will get in many years. It's about 355 million miles away! It's also a really big planet, 86,000 miles across or 11 times wider than our precious Earth, which allows us to see it.

Some have said that last Tuesday was the best night to see Jupiter and that we won't see it like this again in years. Well check out this brief article in Discover Magazine to get the skinny on that. I will say, we'll probably be hard pressed to see it hand-in-hand with a full Moon again any time soon.

This is what the Moon and Jupiter looked like over Pleasant Bay on Cape Cod last Wednesday, just 8-9 hours before the moon was completely full. Jupiter is the small bright light directly below the Moon. Pretty special in my book! And, we did see Jupiter the next night too, standing proudly to the Moon's right.

Full Moon and Jupiter Over Pleasant Bay @2010 Peter Tooker ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Click on each photo to expand it further.

For those of you who are interested, Peter took these photographs with a Nikon COOLPIX P90 on a tripod with time exposure, no flash, and a wide angle setting. They were both taken at f2.8, 2.0sec, with ISO 200.

Friday, September 17, 2010

Peter and I stumbled upon an "Engine Run" called the Fields of Power in Sagaponack, NY last weekend. A bright red biplane doing barrel roles over the beach caught our eye, so we tracked it down to a grassy air field amongst the fields of Foster Farm on Sagg Main Street.

Saturday was a glorious day - sunny with a bright blue sky, puffy cumulus clouds, a light breeze and temps around 75 - does it get any better than that? Sunday was cloudy, threatening rain, and cool - really, a nice contrast to Saturday for us photographers.

This is the third annual "Fields of Power" event. The Fosters invite fellow members of the Long Island Antique Power Association (LIAPA) to show off their engines and prized pieces of antique farm equipment. Between Saturday and Sunday, we viewed antique planes that flew in (and out) just for this event, tractors of every size, shape and vintage (it seemed), vintage automobiles including a classic Bentley, all manner of machinery like a "dancing" compactor, a hot water maker, and an antique shingle mill dating from 1888! I never knew machinery could be so interesting.

A precursor to this "Fields of Power" event happened every year in Bridgehampton on the grounds of the Historical Society across the street from our house. We never attended it but heard it each day it operated because the engines "ran" all day. Given all of the sputtering, popping, whirring, and whistle blowing that filled the air all day, we dubbed the event "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang". That event has now been replaced by the "Fields of Power". If you're in the area, seek it out because it is not only interesting but a lot of fun. In addition to watching all these machines run, there are tractor pulls, a "mini" air show when the planes take off and land, model airplanes buzzing the air field, a hay ride, and a demonstration of how that Shingle Mill makes shingles from huge logs. On Sunday they even ran an obstacle course for antique cars where the driver was blindfolded and the passenger guided them through the course - that was hilarious!

Here's Peter's view of all we saw, processed in High Dynamic Range (HDR). Let us know what you think of the event and the photos. Stay tuned for my "telephoto" perspective.

Monday, September 13, 2010

We promised two slide shows covering the Southampton Antique Auto Show that occurred on August 21st on the grounds of Rogers Mansion. You saw Peter's who's our wide-angle guy, playing with new HDR techniques. Well now it's my turn and I'm the telephoto gal in our tiny group, so I zoom in on the details, leaving the big picture to him.

As we mentioned in the first post, the automobiles on show dated from 1915 to roughly 1960 or thereabouts and they were all so special. The details had my head spinning - fantastic grills, radiator caps, hood ornaments, hub caps, rumble seats, etched wind screens, spare tires, exhaust pipes, logos, and even a couple of sliding doors. The attention paid to the details on these cars is magnificent. Model A's from the '30s , a 1931 Ford Sport Coupe, Thunderbirds from the '50s, a very special '54 Kaiser Darrin, vintage Jaguars and even old Chevy trucks, captivated our imaginations for hours. They all reflected a time when attention was proudly paid to detail and could afford to be, and they all reflected one another in their shiny paint jobs under the summer sun.

I hope you enjoy the details as much as the big picture.

Photos & Slideshow @2010 Claudia Ward, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Music: Down the Ally (With You) by Mark Isham, A River Runs Through It Silverscreen Edition

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

There was an antique auto show at Rogers Mansion in Southampton on Saturday and Peter and I got there early, wanting to see and photograph some of the old cars before the crowds got too large. We arrived just after 10:00 a.m., when it started, and we were still there chatting with the owners and photographing their beautiful cars well after noon.

There were automobiles and trucks from as early as 1915 going all the way up to 1958. The preponderance of participants were Fords - and some real beauties. Model A's from the '30's were well represented, in mint condition with wonderful radiator caps and grills. A 1931 navy blue, Ford Sport Coupe stole my husband's heart but the Thunderbirds nearly stole his soul. What a bevy of beauties - each one made both our hearts race faster. First, I fell for the 1956 peacock blue Thunderbird convertible, but being fickle my crush was quickly and easily transferred to "Timeless", a gorgeous 1957 flame red T-Bird, and then we both saw her ... the 1954 satin yellow Kaiser Darrin -sweet. The interior and fiberglass exterior were satin yellow, as was the steering wheel and she has sliding "pocket doors" - Peter was "a goner". Not even the Jaguars could turn his head, of which there were three - a sexy white E-Type L2 (she's the only one that had a chance), a sleek silver-gray XK, and a '53 black convertible XK with red interior. All he could do was take pictures of all of these beauties to savor later.

I, on the other hand, found myself now captivated by trucks, of all things - a 1958 sky blue Chevrolet 3100 pick-up truck with a custom cover captivated my imagination (very Mayberry); and, the Hildreth's Chevrolet delivery truck reflected the store's history (the oldest department store in the country) but also everything around it. I got some wonderful photos of all of the trucks around it, reflected in its side panels.

We thought the show was wonderful and a great success, and hope to attend again next year. In the meantime we want to share two slide shows, so you can see what we saw.

Today's slide show is Peter's. He's our wide-angle man and the one working on HDR photography (High Dynamic Range) using normal, exposure fusion, and grunge effects. You'll notice the different results and effects in the photos. Please sit back, enjoy, and let us know what you think.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

A radar detector in our Mini-Cooper makes high pitched melodic noises every time the car is started and thus it was dubbed R2D2 - it reminded me of the sounds that came from the robot in Star Wars. Both make me laugh. It would be handy having a radar detector on a long road trip but the Cooper's just too small for three weeks of gear. So we decided to use the Audi for our three week trek to the midwest and back.

The Audi has an equally neat feature - GPS. It may not keep us out of trouble but it should help us get where we're going. The day before our departure, I programmed the GPS for every one of our destinations and yesterday, as we started the system up in our driveway the voice confidently instructed us to find the nearest road!

It really is great, a monotone asexual voice announces every turn that should be taken, sounding very much like R2D2's sidekick C3PO. This Star Wars technology is something special and strange at the same time. The idea that we may never need to be lost again is special, but it is strange to be placing so much trust - trust for our well being - in satellites unseen.

Being in the co-pilot's seat yesterday, I monitored our progress on one of several maps and, to no one's real surprise who knows me, I second guessed C3PO right up to the Philadelphia suburbs. In hind sight, it's apparent that C3PO was going to have us cross the Delaware in Northern New Jersey and then travel south on Route 95 directly in to Phili rather than take the NJ Turnpike to Phili's suburbs and then cross the Delaware. I just couldn't fathom why we would be leaving what was obviously the most direct route according to the map. The good news is C3PO proved to be a great deal more flexible than the co-pilot. Whenever we continued on our way taking no heed of the directions coming from the console, C3PO would patiently recalculate the route, adjusting itself to my hubris!

Peter's in the co-pilot's seat today, I wonder what sort of symbiotic relationship he'll establish with our ever present companion.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Earlier this week you met R2D2, my Mini-Cooper, smiling and covered in the snow from the storm that didn't really happen. Well today's storm is happening - in spades. It started here after 4:00 a.m. and for all intents and purposes has yet to stop. It's changed character from big white wet flakes, to sleet, to driving snow. We're counting 8+ inches as I write.

As we knew the character of the storm would change, Peter and I went out before the wind picked up and the sleet began and caught some of those who were bracing for the storm.

Meet the French dude down the street, known as Deux Chevaux, looking like a big case of bad attitude to me. Hope he was taken some place warm and dry for the rest of the day.

And what about this neighbor of ours?

"Sergeant at Arms" is prepared not to be stuck to the windshield, but for what else, he's apparently just not sure!